SEREMBAN: A juvenile Rohingya UNHCR cardholder has been ordered by the Sessions Court here to be sent to the Henry Gurney School in Melaka after he pleaded guilty to a charge of raping a 14-year-old girl.
The accused, who is 18, did not contest the charge after it was read to him before Sessions Judge Surita Budin.
The court ordered the accused to be detained at the school till he turned 21.
The accused was charged with committing the offence at a hotel room in Tampin between 4.20pm and 5.10pm on June 8.
He was charged under Section 376(1) of the Penal Code, which carries a jail term of up to 20 years and whipping upon conviction.
Deputy public prosecutor Nurul Balkis Zunaidi asked the court to send the accused to jail as he had committed a serious offence.
A Welfare Department officer presented a social report and also recommended that the accused, who was unrepresented, be sent to prison.
Judge Surita then asked the accused how long he had been in remand and was told that he has been in custody for five months.
“After perusing evidence by parties and the guilty plea by the accused, the court finds that the accused is guilty of the offence.
“However, the court finds that a jail sentence is inappropriate as the accused is a young offender,” she said.
Lawyer S. Karthigesan in his capacity as amicus curiae (friend of the court) told the court that the accused should not be sent to jail as he was eager to go back to school.
“I spoke with the accused, who only studied until Form 2, and he told me that he wanted to go back to improve. I urge the court that he be sent to the Henry Gurney School so that he will become a better and useful person,” he said.
He added that the boy’s stepfather and mother who were present in court had given an assurance to visit him on a regular basis.
The Henry Gurney School was created for young offenders between the ages of 14 and 21 and is located in several states across the country.
